


Family

by alafaye



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-17
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-21 09:31:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/596178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's sneaks a look at Gwaine's mail and now they're off to meet Gwaine's family. Only, it isn't what Merlin was expecting. Even after the huge house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family

"Are you really sure you want to meet my family?" Gwaine asked for the hundredth time.

"Yes, I'm sure," Merlin said, exasperated. "Are you sure?"

Gwaine smiled weakly and sat back. "Yeah."

Merlin watched the scenery go by in the window for a moment. "We can still turn back."

Gwaine chuckled. "Turn back? We're in the cab, minutes away from my home. Turning back is a little moot at this point, don't you think?"

Merlin shrugged. "I dunno. Up to you really."

Gwaine shook his head. "We're almost there. No turning back now."

Merlin worried his lip as the car turned onto a gravel drive way and then slowed in front of a house that could have easily fit four of Merlin's childhood home. He knew his jaw was slack as he got out and looked up, but he couldn't stop himself. Now, he understood how Gwaine could attend their university. Merlin was there on a grant and for the first few months of rooming with Gwaine, he had supposed that Gwaine was in on a grant, too. But Gwaine's grades were certainly nowhere close to where they should have been if Gwaine needed to keep his scholarship. It had puzzled Merlin to no end, but now...

"Right," Merlin said.

"Yeah," Gwaine said. He paid the cabbie and picked up their bags. "Shall we?"

Merlin's stomach twisted, just a little bit, at Gwaine's tone. Before December, Gwaine had never mentioned his family. There had been times that one could believe that Gwaine had just...been. That he didn't have any kind of family. When Merlin had left for their first holiday break, Gwaine had been with him--neither Merlin or his mum thought that anyone should stay at a dorm over the holiday. And when Merlin went back for the summer break, Gwaine was with him, then, too.

But when December came, Gwaine had gotten a letter in the mail--an actual hand written letter; who did that anymore?--Merlin had peeked at it. He couldn't help it! He didn't know anyone who sent letters the old fashioned way except collectors and the like and Gwaine was secretive about his life outside the university. The letter had been something like a plea from Gwaine's mother, begging him to come home at least for the holiday break.

Gwaine had caught Merlin before he could replace the letter.

_"What are you doing?"_

_Merlin held out the letter with shaking hands. He couldn't lie to save his own neck and he would rather admit that he'd read the letter than hide it and be caught out for lying as well. "I'm sorry. I was just curious."_

_"Curious enough to go poking through my things?" Gwaine asked, taking the letter so hard he almost ripped it. "Why didn't you just ask?"_

_Merlin huffed. "Every time I ask, you refuse to answer."_

_"So that gives you the okay to read my things?" Gwaine demanded._

_"Of course not!" Merlin defended hotly. "I just..." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."_

_Gwaine sighed. "Just forget about it."_

_Merlin licked his lips. "So are you going?"_

_Gwaine was stuffing the letter deep into his closet with the intent of man burying secrets. "Hmm?"_

_"To see your mum," Merlin said. "My mum would understand if you'd rather go see your family, you know."_

_"I'm well aware that I'd be breaking your mum's heart if I didn't come for the break," Gwaine said with a soft smile. And it was true--Hunith had welcomed Gwaine like a long lost son._

_"Still," Merlin said._

_Gwaine took a deep breath and looked at the bottom of his closet. After a long, tense moment, he looked at Merlin. "I'll go if you come with me."_

_Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Really?"_

_Gwaine nodded. "Really. I can't...look, it's kind of difficult. My family is...I'd just like to have someone who is on my side."_

_"Who are you and what have you done with Gwaine?"_

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Well, here I was thinking you were this big strong man and yet you are afraid to go home!"_

_"Oh, I'll show you afraid. Get over here!"_

_Later, though, all joking aside, Merlin had written his mum and he and Gwaine were looking at the cost of taking a train._

The doors opened as they walked up the steps and a woman who could only be Gwaine's mother due to the resemblance, rushed out. "You're really here!"

Gwaine hugged his mum, but only briefly. He quickly stepped back and turned to Merlin. "This is Merlin. My roommate. Merlin, my mum--Elizabeth."

"Hello, Merlin," she said. Her hand was cool and crisp in Merlin's. "Roommates?"

Gwaine nodded. "Yeah. We somehow have been assigned the same room and roommate these last two years."

"Doesn't happen often," Merlin said with a cheeky grin. "Which sucks. Our friend Lancelot had a very understanding roommate last year--Lance likes to have his girlfriend over a lot. Not for sex, though. They can just be a bit much. This year, though, Lance got this roommate that kicks them out unless Lance is in for the night to sleep."

Elizabeth hummed. "I see. Ah, Gerald here will take your bags. I'll make sure that another room is cleared out for you Merlin. I hadn't known--"

"Sorry, what?" Merlin asked.

She flushed as a man in a suit took their bags into the house and up the stairs. "I just thought--well, it just seemed to me that if Gwaine was bringing someone from the university, it probably would be a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend!" She added hastily.

"As if you would be comfortable with a boyfriend for me," Gwaine muttered.

She narrowed her eyes. "I won't tolerate that from you. It's been a long time and you left before we could be used to it."

Gwaine snorted. "Dinner should be served soon, right?"

She pursed her lips, but said nothing else. She led them into the house and into the back where a table that could easily fit twenty was laid out for just four. There was a woman already seated and she smirked when she saw Gwaine and Merlin.

"You finally came home!" she said. She stood with open arms.

Gwaine stepped away from her with a deep frown. "Mary."

She pouted. "You can't give your sister a hug?"

"Gwaine, really," Elizabeth chided. 

Gwaine said and opened his arms. The hug, however, was very hostile and Merlin himself was uncomfortable. Mary smiled as the hug ended and turned to Merlin. "And you must be the boyfriend!"

"Ah, no," Merlin said. "Just his friend."

She raised her eyebrows and looked at them both in turn. "Just a friend? I wasn't aware that gay men could have male friends. Aren't you lot always fucking each other?" Merlin's face burned with embarrassment.

"Mary!" Elizabeth said.

Mary smirked and sat back down. Elizabeth sighed. "I apologize."

"Oh, no, don't," Mary simpered. "I meant every word."

Gwaine groaned as Merlin's face burned brighter.

~~~

"I am so, so sorry," Gwaine said later. 

Dinner had been...interesting. Merlin's blush hadn't faded much and he kept looking over his shoulder, waiting for Mary to appear and tease them some more. Despite her teasing tone and curious words, it was clear that she thought that Gwaine was a joke. Elizabeth had spent the meal almost in complete silence save for some warning words to both her children to mind themselves in front of a guest. (It need not be said that whenever Elizabeth said 'guest', Mary had giggled and suggested that the conversation was tame really for Merlin.)

"Guess I can understand why you left," Merlin said quietly.

Gwaine stuffed his hands in his pockets. "We shouldn't have come."

"I'm sorry, too," Merlin said. "I just...I dunno."

Gwaine bumped Merlin's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I should have just ignored the letter and we could have been with your mum, eating all we want and not worrying about...well."

"What was dinner?" Merlin asked, trying to get the conversation onto lighter ground. "Because while it tasted like chicken, I honestly don't think it was."

Gwaine chuckled. "Venison. My dad hunts it."

Merlin wrinkled his nose. "Deer? Ugh. I didn't know anyone actually ate that anymore. And those vegetables--they were so..."

"Bland?" Gwaine shuddered. "Now you know why I hate vegetables."

"Well, I would hate them too if that's how I had to eat them growing up," Merlin said. "I don't understand how you can even look at a salad."

Gwaine laughed outright and Merlin smiled, pleased that he had made Gwaine laugh. There had been little enough of it this last week as the holiday had grown closer. Merlin had found himself missing it and Gwaine's easy nature. He blushed lightly again at the thought. There had been moments in the last few years which had not helped the small growing crush Merlin had on Gwaine and realizing how much he cared about Gwaine's happiness, how much he liked Gwaine's character had not been a great realization.

Because while Merlin was the kind of person who had relationships and never one night stands or even friends-with-benefits, Gwaine was certainly the fuck-em-and-leave-em type. Merlin's heart could barely stand the thought of how little of a relationship they could have, never mind the risk of actually trying a relationship. 

"Thank you for coming," Gwaine said as his laughter slowed to a stop. "I don't think I could have done this without you."

Merlin blushed and coughed. "No trouble."

Gwaine huffed. "I can certainly tell you that there isn't anyone else who could have sat there and taken that abuse."

"Well, I don't know about that--"

"Without throwing their plate in Mary's face?"

Merlin nodded with a considering frown. "True enough. Though she does deserve it."

Gwaine chuckled. "You got that right. One day she'll get hers and I only wish I could be there to see it."

An image of Mary with deer hooves on her back surfaced in Merlin's mind and he laughed. "Me, too."

~~~

Merlin groaned as he yet again was facing a never ending hallway. How was he supposed to find the bathroom at this rate? Couldn't they just put a sign up? He hummed in thought--would a sign be too much? Would someone's elderly aunt faint dead away at the very thought of seeing a bathroom just out there for anyone to know? He chuckled at the image.

"Ah, Merlin," Mary said as she entered the hall from the other end. "Lost?"

"Actually, was just out for a walk," Merlin said. Never, in a million years, would he admit to her that he was lost here. It would likely just be another source for her to derive petty amusement from.

"Good," she said. She quickly looped her arm through his and led him down the hall. "I was hoping for a quiet word with you."

"About what?" Merlin asked. She was leading them so far from his own room that he knew any hope he had of finding his bed before the morning was gone.

"Gwaine of course," she said. She opened a door. "This is me. A perfect place for us to talk, don't you think?"

The room wasn't all pink as Merlin had suspected it would be, but it certainly was feminine. Pastel colours, frills, carpet, soft chairs. Mary sat them on a plush bench that nearly swallowed him when he accidentally leaned back.

"Now, I need to have a serious talk with you," she said. "Because while my brother may be a dolt, I can tell how hopelessly in love you are with him."

Merlin spluttered. "That's not--we're just--"

She held up her hand and his mouth clamped shut. "No need to be coy. I've seen this dance one too many times with my friends. It matters little to me how you wish to live your life--you're not moneyed or titled. And while I know it is now _okay_ to be gay, it is still the taboo among our circle." She smiled. "Are we understanding each other?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't think so. Why don't you just say it?"

She huffed. "Fine. I'll put it plain and simple--Gwaine cannot be gay. He cares for you and if you would just say the word, you two would be off to have some big romance. But it can't be. Gwaine is from a certain circle where one is straight. Therefore, I must ask that you keep him at arm's length and see to it that he finds a nice suitable girl to bring home."

He snorted. "If you think anyone can tell Gwaine who he brings to bed, then you're delusional. Not that it matters--if Gwaine is gay, he's gay. It doesn't matter what social strata he's from."

"I had hoped you would see sense," she said snippily. "But I can see I'll have to find other ways. Good night, Merlin."

"I hope for his sake you realize what a bitch you are," he said as he stood. "And that your brother is perfectly fine the way he is. If you can't accept him for who he is, then I will stand with him when he never comes back here."

"Good night."

He shook his head and left the room. The absolute nerve! As though Gwaine's only chance at acceptance was to be straight.

His anger carried him through two hallways before he realized that he was as lost as he was before and more, what she had said about his and Gwaine's friendship.

~~~

"Your house and your family are both insane," Merlin said as he charged into Gwaine's room. 

"Hmm?" Gwaine asked sleepily. 

Merlin flopped on the bed, arms spread out. "I spent two hours last night trying to find my room without waking anyone up."

Gwaine took a deep breath and patted the bed next to him. "There's still a few left before we have to be at breakfast. Go back to sleep."

Merlin wrinkled his nose and climbed under the sheets next to Gwaine. He blushed, remembering Mary's words yet again. "Mary says you have to be straight."

"If I want to be part of the crazy socialite existence that I'm expected to be," Gwaine said. He opened one eye. "You talked to her last night?"

"I was trying to find the bathroom and she pulled me in for a conversation," Merlin defended. "Wanted me to understand that there was no way you'll ever settle down with a man."

Gwaine huffed a laugh. "As if. I'm done with their expectations. I love men and my future partner will be a man."

"I don't care, you know that," Merlin said. "But they clearly do."

"Shut up, idiot," Gwaine said. "Talk later."

Merlin rolled his eyes, but kept silent. In the end, he fell asleep. When he woke, he was hopelessly entangled with Gwaine.

"Morning," Gwaine muttered as Merlin started to try to untangle them.

"Morning," Merlin said. If he just could move his leg--

Gwaine's arm tightened around Merlin's waist. "Where do you think you're going?"

Merlin blushed. "Out of bed?"

Gwaine hummed. "You said something about talking with my sister last night and now you're determined to get out of bed. You've never jumped out of bed like this before."

It was true--Merlin was lazy and stayed in bed as long as he preferred. But while he didn't trust Mary, the fact was that Merlin was now a bit too aware of how exactly they were entangled and how much he wanted to stay like this.

He cleared his throat. "I need to use the bathroom."

Gwaine raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Usually the last thing Merlin did in the morning was use the bathroom. "What did she say?"

"I told you--about how you're supposed to be straight."

"And?"

Merlin stopped struggling to get out of bed. "Nothing."

"Merlin."

"She said thatyoukindoflikedmeandthatwecouldhaveabigromance."

Gwaine's face scrunched up as he broke up the sentence into actual words. "Oh."

Merlin blushed. "Yeah."

Gwaine took a deep breath and pulled them even closer. Close enough that Merlin could feel exactly how awake Gwaine was. Gwaine cupped Merlin's cheek. "I don't know anything about big romances, but I do know that if I ever could settle down with someone, it would be someone like you."

"Like me?" Merlin squeaked out.

"Okay, you," Gwaine said. 

"Yeah, right. You are the king of one night stands. You don't do relationships."

Gwaine shrugged. "True enough, but if a certain big eared roommate of mine said yes, I think I could stop sleeping around."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh. So what do you say?"

Merlin slowly smiled.

~~~

Merlin couldn't help himself as he watched Gwaine's family home disappear out of the back window. "Are you ever going back?"

Gwaine shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe? It depends, I guess, on whether they're ready to accept me."

"Well, I don't think my mum will have a problem with having you as a permanent guest," Merlin said.

Gwaine smiled as he turned Merlin around and into his arms. "Are you sure about that? After all, I might just be the guy who corrupted her baby to her."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "She won't care."

"Good. You're lucky to have her."

Merlin rested his head on Gwaine's shoulder and put his hand on Gwaine's thigh. "I know. So are you."

Gwaine was silent for a moment. "Didn't we do this backwards? Aren't we supposed to be dating for years before we met the family?"

Merlin shrugged. "No idea."

"Aren't you supposed to be the relationship expert?"

"Nope. Because I'll tell you a secret--no one does things just so. We all make it up as we go along. Kind of how families do it, I guess."

Gwaine hummed. "Well, either way. I'm glad to have you around, Merlin." He kissed Merlin's forehead and his hand covered Merlin's on his thigh.

Merlin intertwined their hands and snuggled closer. "At least something good came of the trip."

"Yeah," Gwaine said. He squeezed Merlin's shoulder and they spent the rest of the cab trip--in fact, the rest of the trip back home--in happy silence.


End file.
